creative photoshop digital illustration and art techniques - Phần 2 ppsx

5 I In the tool options bar, select the ellipse shape tool and then disable the link button by clicking on it, so that the new color we choose from the swatch in the tool options bar is

5 I In the tool options bar, select the ellipse shape tool and then disable the link button by clicking on it, so that the new color we choose from the swatch in the tool options bar is not applied to the currently targeted shape layer Click the color swatch in the tool options bar and select a dirty yellow color from the picker

chain-Ensure that the create new shape layer option is enabled and then click and drag, while holding down the shift key to create a perfectly circular shape layer You can reposition the entire shape layer with the move tool

6 I Drag the shape layer onto the create a new layer button in the layers palette to

duplicate it Target the original layer (the one beneath the copy) in the layers palette

Choose Edit⬎Free-Transform from the menu and drag the corner points of the box

outwards to increase the size, and alter the shape of the shape layer Press the enter key

to apply the transformation In the tool options bar, enable the chain-link button to affect

the current layer Then specify a black fill color via the swatch in the tool options bar

Which tool do I use?

Using the move tool will allow you to move

an entire shape layer around on the canvas

However, if you want to move your shapes

around within your layer, you’ll need to use

the path selection tool Simply click on the

shape you wish to move and drag it with

the path selection tool This is especially

useful when your shape layer contains

more than one shape and you wish to move

shapes independently of each other.

7 I Target the top layer in the layers palette, so that your next layer will be created above it Again, use the ellipse shape tool to draw a smaller circle in his eye area Ensure that the create new shape layer option is enabled as you create the circle Next, change the fill color of the new layer to red via the color swatch in the tool options bar With this new layer targeted, choose the stroke effect from the layer styles menu at the bottom of the layers palette Add a darker red stroke to the outside of the circle.

Finish, group, duplicate and flip

Complete the eye area and add a cheek detail Then flip the artwork to the other side of his face

1 I Use the same methods to create two new shape layers One containing a black pupil shape, and another containing a purple cheek shape Target all of the eye and cheek shape layers in the layers palette Type Control(PC)Command(Mac)-g to group them

2 I Select the move tool and ensure that your group is targeted Hold down the alt(PC)/option(Mac) and the shift key as you drag the artwork to the right side of his face, creating a duplicate of the group, aligned horizontally

3 I Choose Edit⬎Transform⬎Flip Horizontal from the menu to horizontally flip your duplicated group Expand the duplicated group in the layers palette and target the red iris layer Shift-drag to the right on the canvas with the move tool, repeat this process with the duplicated pupil shape layer This will remedy his cross-eyed appearance

Subtracting and combining shapes

Now we’ll explore how multiple shapes can be used together within a single shape layer, producing a nice nostril highlight at

the same time

1 I Select the ellipse shape tool, and

select the create new shape layer

function in the tool options bar Create

a light blue ellipse on the canvas, over

his nostril as a new shape layer Use

the Path selection tool to reposition it

if necessary

2 I Use the Path selection tool to drag the shape to the right and down a little while holding down the alt(PC)/

option(Mac) key, duplicating it With the duplicate shape selected, click on the subtract from shape area button in the tool options bar

3 I Click the combine button to create

a single shape, resulting from the subtract operation Alt(PC)/Option(Mac)-drag this shape to the right with the Path Selection tool Choose Edit⬎Transform Path⬎Flip Horizontal from the menu Press Enter and adjust the positioning of the flipped duplicate shape if necessary

8 I Collapse the group in the layers palette Use the eyedropper tool to click on the dark blue area around his eye, sampling it as the

current foreground color Use the Pen tool to create a new shape layer in the middle of his face Carefully draw a nose shape with the

pen tool Take your time, clicking once to create sharp points, clicking and dragging to create curved points Edit the shape with the

direct selection tool wherever necessary Next, select the ellipse shape tool and draw a lighter blue ellipse over his nose on a new

shape layer

9 I Set the foreground color to black Select the pen tool and ensure that the create new shape area option is enabled Draw a closed shape to indicate his mouth

Click and drag to create a series of curved points and use the direct selection tool to edit your points and curves until the mouth shape is looking just right Duplicate the mouth shape layer in the layers palette so that there are now two of them

Target the duplicate mouth layer and press the link button in the tool options bar, so that when you change the color, this layer will be affected

10 I Click the color swatch in the tool options bar When the picker opens, move the mouse out over the yellow part of the eye on the canvas and then click to select this yellow as the fill color for this shape layer Click OK and select the pen tool Choose the intersect shape areas option in the tool options bar and then draw a closed shape that contains two fangs that overlap the mouth area As you draw, you’ll see the layer content disappear and then only reappear in areas where the new shape overlaps the existing shape within the current shape layer

Switching to a selection tool

When you are working with the Pen tool, you can temporarily switch to the direct selection tool by holding down the Control(PC)/Command(Mac) key When you are working with a shape tool, holding down the Control(PC)Command(Mac) key with temporarily switch your tool to the Path Selection tool Releasing the Control(PC)Command(Mac) key will revert back to your original tool.

11 I Use the pen tool with the create new shape layer option enabled to draw a tongue shape on a new shape layer, that sits within his mouth on the canvas Click the color swatch in the tool options bar and, when the picker opens, click on a red area of one of his eyes in the image to specify that as the fill color for your new shape layer Expand one of your groups in the layers palette Find one of the layers with the stroke effect applied to it

Hold down the alt(PC)/option(Mac) key and then drag the effect from that layer onto your new layer, copying it

Combining shape components

The shape area functions in the tool

options bar provide nearly everything

you need to create diverse and unique

composite shapes However, there may

be instances where you wish the visible

results were indicative of one actual shape

or perhaps you wish to perform different

shape area functions on the resulting

shape In these cases, simply click on the

combine button in the tool options bar to

change the group of shape components

into a single, editable shape Be cautious

when combining, because once you

combine the shape components they are no

longer editable as separate components

If you keep the components separate you

still have the option of altering the physical

qualities of the shape, as well as changing

any shape area functions applied to your

individual shapes.

12 I If the chain-link button is enabled in the tool options bar, disable it Then click on the color swatch in the tool options bar and select black from the picker If you do this while the chain-link button is enabled, it will change the color of your tongue shape layer Disabling

it ensures that only a new shape layer will contain black Also, ensure that you set the style setting back to none, otherwise the next layer you create will have the previous layer’s stroke style applied to it Use the pen tool, with the create new shape layer option enabled to draw a forehead wrinkle shape

Custom shapes

When you have spent some time creating

a shape of your own with the pen tool or

by editing a preset shape you may wish to save it for use layer on To do this, simply select the shape with the path selection tool and choose Edit ⬎Define Custom Shape from the menu This will allow you

to name the shape and save it The next time you select the custom shape tool, your custom shape will appear in the list of presets available in the tool options bar.

13 I Now select the add to shape area function and draw some more closed shape components to indicate wrinkles on his forehead and the left side of his face Use the path selection tool to select one of the wrinkle shape components that you created at the left Then, hold down the shift key and click on the other wrinkle shape components at the left to select them as well While holding down the alt(PC)/option(Mac) key, click on the selected shape components and drag them to the other side of the face, copying them

14 I Now, to flip your duplicated wrinkles over, choose Edit⬎Transform Path⬎Flip Horizontal from the menu, so that they look like they belong on the right side of the face Reposition them if necessary with the Path selection tool Your top layer is currently targeted in the layers palette Hold down the shift key and click on the shape layer directly above the background layer This targets the new layer, the top layer, and all layers and groups in-between Now choose Layer⬎New⬎Group From Layers from the menu to add all of the targeted content to

a single group

Changing the fill color

Another way to quickly change the

fill color of a shape layer is to

start by targeting a shape layer in

the layers palette Next, choose a

foreground color from the picker

Then, type alt/option-delete on the

keyboard to fill the layer with the

new foreground color.

15 I It is likely that by now, you are becoming familiar with the process of creating new shape layers So let’s put that familiarity to work again Navigate to another area of the canvas Use the pen tool, set to create a new shape layer, to draw the shape of the alien’s head

Never mind the fill color of your layer at this point

Next, select the add to shape area option in the tool options bar Draw an ear at the left of his head Then use the path selection tool to alt(PC)/

option(Mac)⫹shift-drag his ear to the other side of the head, copying it

16 I Flip the copied shape component horizontally via the same methods you’ve used previously for flipping other shape components Use the path selection tool

to position it exactly where you want it on the layer Now, double-click your shape layer thumbnail in the layers palette This will launch the picker Choose a new light green fill color for your layer and click OK

You can change the fill color of any shape layer at any point by double-clicking the layer thumbnail As you can see now, there are numerous ways to specify and edit the fill colors of your shape layers

17 I Add a stroke effect to this layer Use a darker green color, a generous thickness, and position it outside, so that it surrounds the exterior of the shape components Select the rounded rectangle shape tool in the tool options bar Set the radius very high Then click and drag to create a tooth shape on a new shape layer Change the fill color of the layer to light yellow This layer automatically has the previous stroke effect applied to it

Double-click the effect in the layers palette to edit it, reducing the size of the stroke

18 I Use the path selection tool to select your tooth shape component and alt(PC)/option(Mac)-drag it to the right to copy it within the shape layer

Repeat the process again until there are three teeth on this layer Target all the three shape components and then click

on the align vertical centers button in the tool options bar to align the shape components Use the pen tool to create

an antenna shape on the left side of the head, on a new, different colored shape layer Ensure the link button is disabled

in the tool options bar, and set the style back to none in the style picker

Build half of the face

Put your new shape layer skills to good use as you create all of the details for the left side of the face on a series of shape layers

1 I Use the methods employed so far to create a new, red, elliptical shape layer

Choose Edit⬎Free⬎Transform Path from the menu Drag the corner points

to resize, then click and drag outside of the box to rotate Press Enter to apply the transformation

2 I Use this method to create a smaller, orange ellipse shape layer on top of the red one Then repeat the process again, creating a smaller, black ellipse shape layer Create a white ellipse shape layer overtop of the black ellipse and reduce the layer opacity

3 I Use the pen tool, the ellipse tool, and the skills you’ve learned so far to create the rest of his face details on a series

of new shape layers until the left side of his face is complete Target all of these layers, including the antenna layer, and add them to a new group

19 I Ensure that your group is targeted in the layers palette and select the move tool Hold down the alt(PC)/option(Mac) and shift keys as you click on the canvas and drag to the right, duplicating the group and ensuring that it stays aligned vertically with the previous group

After that choose Edit⬎Transform⬎Flip Horizontal from the menu to flip the group Use the move tool or the arrow keys on the keyboard

to adjust the positioning on the canvas if necessary Target all of the layers and groups that make

up the alien character in the layers palette and add them to a new group

Transforming and flipping artwork

You don’t always have to go to the edit

menu each time you wish to perform

a transformation or flip a layer, shape

component, or group Simply type Control/

Command-t to activate the free-transform

command You’ll see the bounding box

appear, allowing you to transform your

object, layer, or group While the bounding

box is present,

right-click(PC)/control-click(Mac) within the box to access a

pop-up menu Alongside other options,

you’ll be able to flip your artwork by

choosing the appropriate option from the

menu As always, pressing Enter will apply

the transformation. 20 I Now that you’ve created two distinctly different characters out of shape layers,

storing each in a group of its own, create one more for the sake of diversity Use the pen tool to click and drag, creating a closed object that resembles tentacles

on a new shape layer Specify a green fill color and then switch to the ellipse tool

Ensure that the add to shape area function is enabled in the tool options bar Click and drag to create a large ellipse that overlaps the top of the tentacles shape on the same layer, creating a strange octopus body

Examine the CD files

At this point in this chapter, you should have the three main characters completed and organized into groups Everything you need to know to effectively create the characters has been outlined on the previous pages However, if you still find yourself confused by a small detail or are scratching your head over something, have

a look at the sample files on the CD The files are called: sample-1.psd, sample- 2.psd, and sample-3.psd Each file contains

a single character group and you can inspect the shape layers and components

in detail within these files The sample files can be found on the CD in the folder entitled chapter_02.

21 I Again, as you’ve done with the previous two characters, create a series of new shape layers to add the character’s essential features and details to the file All of the methods are the same as before

Even the mouth, although it has more teeth, can be created by using the same methods that you used to create the blue creature’s mouth earlier on When you’re finished, target all of the shape layers that make up the octopus in the layers palette and add them to a new group

22 I Now, just because your finished creatures are neatly organized into groups

in the layers palette, it doesn’t mean that you can’t add more shape layers within a group

or edit existing ones Here, new shape layers were added to the octopus group as well

as the alien group Spots were added to the tentacles of the octopus on a new shape layer, and spots were added to the alien’s forehead using the same method Each new layer was placed in the appropriate group, ensuring that the layers palette remained organized

Changing fill content

Shape layers are solid fill color layers

with vector masks attached to them You

can change the solid color to a gradient

or pattern fill by choosing Layer ⬎Change

Layer Content from the menu and then

either choosing the pattern or gradient

option found there If you’re feeling

adventurous, you can also change the

layer content to that of any of the available

adjustment layer options included in the

list No matter what option you choose, the

existing vector mask will remain intact.

23 I Duplicate the octopus group Use free transform to rotate, resize it and move it to another location on the canvas Double-click individual layers within the group and change their fill colors Delete the shape layers that make up his mouth by dragging them into the trash in the layers palette Then add a new shape layer that contains

a small black ellipse to the group, creating a new mouth with a different facial expression Use this method to create a number of different octopus groups on the canvas Alter colors and shape layers as you see fit

24 I Continue to make duplicates of your groups, moving them to different areas of the canvas, using free-transform to rotate and resize your groups Move them up and down within the layers palette, so that some characters are overlapping others Try varying blending modes of your duplicate groups here and there Also experiment with reduced opacity to make some of them less prominent

Hiding versus deleting

When you are creating duplicate character groups and wish to remove layers from the group, disable them rather than delete them You can disable the visibility of any layers you wish to hide, and when you transform an entire group, these hidden layers will be transformed alongside the rest This is a better option than deleting

as it gives you the option of making the layers visible again if you change your mind later on.

25 I Duplicate the blue creature group Move it to another location and use free-transform to resize and rotate the group Repeat this process over and over, adding a number of blue creatures to the scene Inside some of your groups, disable the visibility of some of the layers, or delete them, so that only selected portions of the characters face remain visible Like you did previously with the octopus, move duplicate groups up and down within the layers palette, altering the blending modes and opacity settings of entire groups as you go

26 I Use these methods to introduce a variety copied alien groups into the image as well Alter blending modes, opacity, and try disabling the visibility of some layers Try combining some of your duplicates into groups as well Here, this creature was created by adding a blue creature group and an octopus group into a new group

The blue creature was positioned on top of the octopus and the fill color of the octopus layer was changed to match the blue creature’s fill color

Then, the blending mode of the new group was changed to luminosity

Examining your shape layer masterpiece

Now that you’re finished creating the image, let’s take a final look at some of the exceptional features and techniques involved

a I By duplicating a group of features, you’re not only cutting your work in half, but you are effectively creating

an identical set of features for the other side of the face

b I One great thing about shape layers is that you can change the fill color at any point, so duplicate groups can look diverse, rather than monotonous

c I Replacing something as simple as the shape layers that make up the mouth in a duplicate group can completely change the emotion of your character

d I When you’re spreading duplicate groups around the canvas, disabling the visibility of base layers within a group can result in ghostly, floating creatures, rather than identical duplicates

e I Experimenting with blending modes allows you to use your characters in subtle ways In this case, the creature enhances the background using only its luminosity

27 I Now that you’re finished with the character groups, apply the same methods you’ve used

so far to create some shape layers out of basic shape combinations Use the subtract and add

to shape area options freely Also, have some fun with different blending modes, color fills, and

layer opacity settings Drag all of the new shape layers beneath the character groups in the

layers palette, so that the new shape layers are used to enhance the painted background, rather

than overlapping the creatures Place the new shape layers in a group of their own, just to keep

the layers palette organized

e

a b

d c

Here is another image that was created using the same methods Stylistically it is quite similar, but the subject is a little different There is a lot you can do when you begin experimenting with shape layers, groups, blending modes, and underlying textures Subject matter can be anything you like; you’re only limited by your imagination.

Paint Art

T o create realistic graffiti art, you no longer have to hit the streets with a

backpack full of spray cans, looking for that secluded area where you won’t get caught You don’t need to place yourself at the mercy of the elements, and you don’t need to break the law All that you need these days

is a digital photo, a scanned drawing of your plan, and a little Photoshop know-how.

Photoshop offers all of the tools necessary to add innovative digital graffiti to any photographed scene Brushes, selections, and layer blending modes are essential Photoshop tools to get the job done In this chapter, the standout features are the brush tool’s airbrush option and flow settings Above all other features, these are key ingredients in producing convincing graffiti art These two features give the brush tool its authentic spray paint feel and allow you to produce convincing spray paint results.

However, in order to make things feel real, you’ll also need to incorporate some real world imperfections While producing real spray paint art, you get annoying drips littering your masterpiece when you apply too much paint to a single area at once And although this imperfection is something you’d try to avoid in the real world Here, in the digital realm, that imperfection is required to lend authenticity to your art.

For the authentic spray paint look, you’ll need to incorporate the real thing In this particular case, I’ve incorporated some basic paint drips, done traditionally, into the digital composition, giving it an authentic feel And rather than creating a digital backdrop for the graffiti art, it is painted directly on top of a photo of a bare wall, using layer blending modes to make it look as if it really belongs there So remember, when creating realistic graffiti in Photoshop, it is not just paint techniques that you’ll need to employ, but innovative image composition methods as well.

1 I Open up the wall.jpg file This will act as your background for the image and this file will become the bottom layer of our multi-layered working file The first thing you notice about the wall is that the darker details are not pronounced enough Perhaps the original photograph was a little overexposed To remedy this, drag the background layer onto the create a new layer button at the bottom of the layers palette to duplicate it Target the duplicate layer and change the blending mode of the layer to linear burn Reduce the opacity of the layer to 67% so that the burn effect isn’t overpowering.

2 I In order to make the painting stand out even more, let’s reduce the amount of color in this already very neutral feeling background Click on the create new fill

or adjustment layer button at the bottom of the layers palette to access the pop-up menu of adjustment and fill layer options Choose hue/saturation from the list to create a new hue/saturation adjustment layer Reduce the saturation by around 28

to remove color from the underlying layers Click OK

Project files

All of the files needed to follow along

with this chapter and create this urban

masterpiece are available on the

accompanying CD Files for this chapter

can be found in the folder entitled:

chapter_03.

3 I Open up the drawing.jpg file Choose Image>Adjustments>Invert from the menu to convert the artwork to a negative Type control(PC)/command(Mac)-a to select all and then type control(PC)/command(Mac)-c to copy the selected image

Return to your working file and navigate to the channels palette In the channels palette, click on the create new channel button at the bottom of the channels palette to create an empty alpha channel Target your new alpha channel and type control(PC)/command(Mac)-v to paste the copied art into your new channel

4 I Ensure that the new channel remains targeted and then click on the load channel as selection button at the bottom of the channels palette Return

to the layers palette and click on the create a new layer button to create a layer at the top of the stack within the palette Press the ‘d’ key to set your foreground color to black Then, ensure that your new layer is targeted and type alt(PC)/

option(Mac)-delete on the keyboard to fill the current selection with black on the new layer

Type control(PC)/command(Mac)-d to deactivate the selection

Go your own way

The black and white art here is a very sharp and finely tuned piece of artwork However, what makes every graffiti artist unique is his

or her style of drawing Feel free to carefully draw your own black and white artwork and substitute it for the one used here There is no part of the process more appropriate to express your individual style than the black and white art stage You can create any subject you like, but try to make it a nice, sharp piece in solid black and solid white This will help to keep the channel clean, resulting in a nice, clearly defined selection border

5 I Use the move tool to position the layer contents a little higher on the canvas

Change the layer blending mode to multiply and then reduce the opacity of the layer to 75%, providing a hint of transparency With your black outline layer targeted, choose Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur from the menu Enter a radius setting that softens the edges of your black line work Softening the edges, combined with the layer blending mode of multiply, is what will give the art on this layer the appearance of being sprayed onto the wall Be careful not to soften the edges too much, you still want your artwork to look like something

6 I Now, as mentioned in the introduction,

sometimes you need to resort to the real thing

to achieve authenticity in your digital art Here,

a series of black paint drips were painted on

a white piece of paper Holding the can in one

place while spraying allows you to build up

enough paint in that spot so that it begins to

run Black and white were used because these

paint drips, after being scanned, are destined

to be used to create custom selections within a

series alpha channels

Inverting images

Because you are pasting black art on a

white background into an alpha channel,

it needs to be inverted first, so that the

art is white and the background is black

A quick way of inverting your art is to

type control(PC)/command(Mac)-I on the

keyboard Or, you can leave your art in its

positive state and double click your alpha

channel in the channels palette Then, from

within the channel options, change things

so that color indicates selected areas

rather than masked areas before you paste

your copied art into it.